Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions:

• What is Handheld Companion?
• How do I use it?
• What is the best way to use my controller in games/emulators?
• What's Universal Motion Control / UMC
• Should I always use UMC?
• What if I only want HC for power/TDP settings?

Troubleshooting:

• I can't get my games to receive inputs
• Certain buttons are greyed out, I can't apply changes through the Helper?
• I uninstalled Handheld Companion from my system but now may Ayaneo's controller no longer works!
• Double input effects within Steam
• Regular controls work in game but universal motion control does not
• I can't see my cursor in game

Common questions

What is Handheld Companion?

Check out the repository README and the main project page.

How do I use it?

Follow the Installation Guide.

What is the best way to use my controller in games/emulators?

You need to verify which Input API is supported in whatever you are using and if you want to use the virtual DS4 specific functions, like motion controls. The following table should help you:

What's Universal Motion Control?

UMC allow you to translate gyroscope inputs straight into joystick inputs (left stick, right stick) making it a universal approach for games that can't be launched through Steam. UMC also offers a limited level of flexibility through settings like Enable Button, Sensivity, Intensity.

Should I always use UMC?

We recommend relying on Steam controller support whenever possible because of how efficient and configurable it is. We made UMC to make sure all games are covered, including Microsoft Store titles.

What if I just want to use Handheld Companion for power settings (TDP) and nothing else?

First, go to the Controller menu on the left side and change the Connected option to Disconnected under the big picture of the Xbox or PlayStation controller. Next, make sure you Stop and Remove the Controller service (bottom left corner of the main Controller menu). Finally, make sure your Controller (Xbox 360 for Windows) device under Input Devices says Connected and Hide (which means it is currently not hidden). This will make sure that Handheld Companion is NOT creating a virtual controller for you, and that your physical controller is the only device being used for gamepad inputs.

If you want this change to persist whenever you restart, scroll down to the Controller cloaking section and turn Hide controller on connect to Off.

Finally, go to Profiles on the left menu. Choose the Default or a custom made profile for the specific application you're running, and scroll down to Power settings. Choose your desired TDP setting accordingly.

---

Troubleshooting

I can't get my application to receive regular button inputs

Not all modern games natively support DS4 controllers. None of them natively support motion control. To address that issue, you have a few options.

Application is a game

• To get generic compatibility, follow the Application is not a game guide.
• To get extended compatibility (including motion control), add your game to Steam and follow our Playing on Steam guide.

Application is not a game

You'll need to create a specific application profile through Controller Helper. Do as follow.

• Start Controller Helper.
• Profiles > Create new profile.
• Select the executable of your targeted application.
• Tick either Whitelisted or Use Wrapper.

Certain buttons are greyed out, I can't apply changes through the Helper?

Run the Helper with administrator rights. The Helper works both with and without admin rights, to enact changes within the service, admin rights are required.

I uninstalled Handheld Companion from my system but now may Ayaneo's controller no longer works!

Reinstall the Handheld Companion run the application as admin. Stop the service. Delete service. Uninstall. See the Installation page for detailed instructions.

Double input effects within Steam

1. Xbox Extended Feature Support: When enabled on Steam (Controller settings), this setting will bypass Handheld Companion's ability to hide your physical controller. Make sure Xbox Extended Feature Support is disabled.
2. Desktop Layout & Steam Inputs: When enabled on Steam (Controller settings), this setting will cause Steam to consider any non-Steam application as "desktop" and send keyboard inputs based on your gamepad inputs. Make sure Steam Inputs for Desktop Layout is disabled.

Regular controls work in game but Universal Motion Control (UMC) does not

Double check the correct executable (*.exe file) is used in your profile settings. Some games have multiple or a main which opens a specific sub version, for example a 32 or 64 bit variant, which is the one that needs to be selected. Example:

Does not work: "C:\Games\Windows\Ghostrunner\Ghostrunner.exe"

Does work: "C:\Games\Windows\Ghostrunner\Ghostrunner\Binaries\Win64\Ghostrunner-Win64-Shipping.exe"

It's possible to check which executable is actually running throught Taskmanager -> Processes tab -> Background Processes list, looks for your game name.

In case of doubt, try all.

Mouse cursor appears on desktop but not in game

Some games expect a hid mouse to be connected in order to show a cursor. Install HP virtual mouse driver found here: Download

Information